


Going Rogue

by ZpanSven



Series: Carrie Allen is the Flash [6]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014), The Flash - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Always a Different Sex, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, F/M, Gen, Gender or Sex Swap, Genderbending, I think the blind dates will be a running gag from now on, In which Captain Cold appears, Iris is matchmaking, Rule 63, and so does Hunter Zolomon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-23
Updated: 2015-05-28
Packaged: 2018-03-31 18:23:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 8,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3988141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZpanSven/pseuds/ZpanSven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Flash stops a robbery but the culprits get away after shooting a guard; unknown to all, this chance robbery will bring a new threat to Central City....Captain Cold.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The lightning hadn't just given her speed – it had given her friends. Okay so this was supposed to be training but still...she was playing Operation with Caitlin, ping-pong with Cisco and chess with Dr Wells.

All at once.

This was so cool!

On her days off, if she wasn't somehow still in her lab, she was at home with her nose in a book until Iris took pity on her and dragged her off for girls' time...and then it was if Iris wasn't already out with plans of her own.

“This isn't even remotely anatomically correct,” Caitlin huffed after making the game buzz at her and Carrie was returning a serve at Cisco's pingpong table.

“That's not the point of it!”

“Then what is?!”

“Why, to have fun,” Carrie was back again, using the tiny tweezers to pull out another tiny piece from the game. Without making it buzz. She grinned cheekily at the older woman. “Dr Snow~”

“And,” Dr Wells added from his chessboard. “to continue your ongoing training by testing the speed of your mind by pushing your ability to multitask.”

She blurred over to his chessboard, moving a piece and grinning at him impishly as she hit the timer. “I'm waiting on you, Dr Wells.”

Yes, she totally purred that. Yes she was trying to be seductive. And from his arched brow, probably failed miserably. Such was her life.

She blurred back to Cisco's pingpong table to intercept the ball again. She wove back and forth between the pingpong table and Caitlin's Operation game when she heard:

“Checkmate.”

“Wait what?” She sped over to the chessboard. “Checkmate?”

“Checkmate,” Dr Wells confirmed, his lips twitching faintly as she pouted in dismay. “I guess we still have a few things left to learn, don't we, Ms Allen?”

The ringing of a phone dragged their attention away from each other and Carrie internally sulked; for a moment there it had almost felt like a spark....!

“Armed robbery at 4th and Collins,” Cisco called out.

She headed for her suit, only pausing to give Dr Wells a grin. “And for the record, I won in Operation and Pingpong. Two out of three our first time around isn't too bad, right?”

And with that, she was a blur, retrieving the suit and taking off for the site of the robbery.

When she arrived, she didn't even slow, speeding around first the tow-truck and then the motorcycles, disabling the three robbers she could see. As she sped forward, check checked on the guards; they weren't hurt, that was good. That was when she saw the fourth robber in the back.

In a burst of speed, she zipped through the armored car from the front, dragging him out the busted in back door. He hit the ground and rolled as she came to a halt a few feet away.

Leonard Snart had pulled his mask off and stared. He'd heard the rumors about some Streak going around but dismissed them as an urban legend. But there...standing only a few feet away was a tall, slender figure in....red leather?...that was wreathed by actual, honest-to-God golden lightning that danced up and down long legs.

Skintight red leather. His head tilted as his eyes raked up and down that figure as it turned back to him.

It...he...no...her? The hips and rear...that had to be---

That was when all hell broke loose, one of the robbers firing at a fleeing guard. She muttered a curse under her breath, zooming past the robber on the ground, who had twisted, tracking the 'Streak' with his eyes in disbelief.

“Where's the nearest hospital?” she asked Caitlin as she knelt beside the fallen guard; he was still alive, thankfully but she had to get him to an ER immediately.

“Saint Andrews, seven blocks north, two east.”

“Call the ER, tell them they have an incoming GSW,” she relayed and jerked around at the sound of the motorcycle engines revving. The four robbers had doubled-up on the bikes and were taking off.

Dammit!

The guard's life was more important.

She scooped him up and sped away to Saint Andrews.


	2. Chapter 2

She'd made sure to drop in and check on the guard in her civilian clothing; unfortunately the bullet were too fragmented for much use.

Dammit.

Well she'd see what they could do with it anyway...

She sidestepped the barricades and waved to Captain Singh and Joe as they approached her. “Just got here from Saint Andrew's. The Guard's stable but the bullet they pulled from him is severely fragmented. I won't know if it's useful until I get it back to the lab.”

Singh grunted and grudgingly complemented her: “Nice initiative, Ms Allen.”

“I did a check of the contents and nothing is missing,” Joe said as they walked towards the armored car. “Looks like the robbery was interrupted.”

“The other guard says there were three of them,” Singh added.

“Ahhhh...” she eyed the scene, her mind replaying taking down the robbers. “I'd have to see what the evidence says but I'm betting four – it'd make more sense. It's what'd I'd do anyway, if I ever decided to rob an armored car. A driver in the tow-truck, two guys to cover the guards, and someone to bust open the back---” She stopped and inspected the back of the armored car. “Wow. With liquid nitrogen. This will be fun to process...”

“Thank you Ms Allen, for your brilliant insight,” the Captain snorted at her and she shrugged at him and Joe.

“Four, huh?” Joe muttered as she began processing after the Captain had already walked away.

“Four. And...” she looked over her shoulder at him and grinned. “I saw one of their faces.”

His eyebrows rose up and he looked very pleased. “That's really good. When we get back to the precinct, you're going to browse the mugbook of Central City's most wanted.”


	3. Chapter 3

He passed her one of the mugbooks. “Alright, lets see if he's in this one, if not---”

Joe watched her blur through the pages and was glad they were in her lab where no one could possibly see this.

And then she stopped, dropping a finger down on a mugshot.

“Him,” she announced in satisfaction. “I'd know those eyes anywhere.”

The pit of Joe's gut dropped to his knees as he groaned. “Oh great... Leonard Snart...”

“Leonard?” she winced. That was as bad as the name her parents had picked out if she'd been a boy or ever had a brother. “Who named him? That's as bad as Bartholomew...”

“Snart's father was a cop,” Joe's lips were set in a thin line. “A bad cop who took his anger out on his kids up until he went to prison.”

“His Dad's in prison too? Urgh. We should start a support group,” Carrie muttered, brushing her fringe of bangs back.

“He shows up like every six months to do a job. He'll case the job for weeks and plan everything down to the second before acting. Then, he does the job and gets away.”

“Well that's going to change from now on,” she grinned at him impishly. “After all, before there wasn't 'the Streak' - as Iris calls me - around! ….though I really need to get her to give me a better name. I'm thinking—”

“Coffee break!” Iris announced a she walked into the lab, carrying a takeout holder with a couple cups of coffee. “Thought I'd bring over some of Central City's finest coffee to come of Central City's finest.”

“Coffee!” Carrie was on the cup with her name with a delighted squeal. While the caffeine no longer really worked on her, it was still a tasty drink for her.

“Thanks but I'm off caffeine,” Joe said stiffly, patting Carrie on the shoulder and walking away.

She blinked at his back and turned to Iris in confusion. “...is he seriously...?”

“Still mad about me and Eddie? Yup,” Iris sighed. "He's still doing his whole not talking and judgmental looks thing.”

“Its probably more the whole keeping it a secret thing but seriously?!” She gave an angry huff. “All right, you now what? You tell him how big a hypocrite he's being. He is making me keep a secret from you. A very big, important secret that I am not wanting to keep.”

“What?!” Iris stared at her in shock.

“I'm not telling you what it is. Yet. But you tell him that just like he had his reasons to make me keep it, you had your reasons. And apparently from how he's treating you and Eddie,you were more than justified.”

“He's taking it out on Eddie too?! Why didn't he tell me?”

“Probably trying to not make things worse between you and your Dad, but honestly, he looks like a kicked puppy because Joe's so mad,” Carrie sighed, sipping her coffee. “Give him extra cuddles, yeah? Maybe some backrubs. Your poor guy needs 'em.”

“My poor Eddie...” Iris shook her head. “Oh! I almost forgot!”

“Mmm...?”

“I started a blog,” she announced. “Those journalism classes finally are paying off.”

“Is it about your obsession with brownies?”

“No, something actually important. Something the city needs to know about: The Streak. Did you know he – or she – stopped an armored car robbery this morning?”

“There has got to be a better name than the Streak. It makes me think of those frat boys that'd strip and run across the football field,” Carrie grumbled.

“Maybe I can do a poll, see what name is popular,” Iris laughed. “Along with what gender everyone thinks the Streak is.”

“Just be careful okay?”

“I am, don't worry.”

“I always worry,” Carrie snorted. “Just like you and Joe do. Its a family thing.”

“Say....you know that armored car robbery? You think maybe I could look at the file for my blog?”

“What? Ohhh no. No way. That's on ongoing investigation. Maybe later, when its over you can but not right now.”

“Oh c'mon, Ms Blabbermouth, you always tell me everything. Spill for my blog,” Iris groaned.

“Nope. No way. And you better be serious about being careful, because the internet is full of weirdos trolling about.”

“I can vouch for that,” interjected a familiar voice – familiar to Carrie anyway. “The internet is full of weirdos. And nerd rage. Lots and lots of nerd rage.”

The speedster brightened and turned to where Felicity Smoak stood in the doorway of the lab.

“Felicity!” Carrie squealed and managed to not fly forward at super-speed to hug the other nerd. “Why didn't you text me to tell me you were coming by?”

“It wouldn't be as much as a surprise if I did!”

“Felicity, this is my sister Iris West! Iris, this is Felicity Smoak, the friend I made in Starling City!” Carrie made the introductions.

“Oh the computer genius who helped you in one of your unexplainable cases!”

Felicity laughed. “Which long story short, was definitely explainable.”

“Yeah. It was a fun adventure though,” Carrie agreed.

Felicity backed up a couple steps and pointed to the skylight. “So the lightning came through here, right?”

“Yup. Right when I was trying to close the shutters on the skylight,” Carrie agreed and gestured to a rack of supplies. “Sent me flying all the way over there through that shelf. At least...that's where they tell me I ended up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which we see where things will start to more radically diverge from Canon - since Carrie has no romantic interest in either Iris or Felicity, she's more on Iris's side concerning Eddie and...she might be a touch jealous when she finds out Dr Wells knows so much about Felicity...


	4. Chapter 4

The green-space outside the department was bustling with people moving back and forth and with Iris having to go back for her shift at Jitters, it was just Carrie and Felicity. “I still can't believe you're here!”

“I wanted to check on you myself – just getting text updates really isn't cutting it. Everyone's was so worried....even though they don't act like it.” Felicity said and grinned. “You were right – Iris seems super nice. And fashionable.”

“I told you so! You two'll get along great. She's been wanting to drag me for another girls' day this week, you should totally come along if you're still in town.” She side-eyed Felicity. “...you didn't end up here because you and Oliver need any help did you? I can totally help but I still want that girls' day.”

“Oh no, we're good. Though...I have to admit a little jealous that you didn't....race....over to Starling to see me...”

Carrie's widened. “Oliver told you?”

“I heard you two actually, on that rooftop.” Felicity leaned in. “Can you show me? Your speed? I saw photos online but~”

“Okay, okay, I guess I owe it to you,” she chuckled and pointed at the top of a nearby building. “Keep your eyes focused on that rooftop.”

In a blur she was gone, racing up to that rooftop, where she raced around with an excited whoop, only pausing long enough to take a picture of Felicity before returning to her side...all in the span of a handful of seconds. She held the phone up to Felicity with a huge grin.

Felicity's jaw dropped as she snatched the phone from Carrie's hand. “You-you took a picture of me? From the top of that building?!"

“Yup,” she chuckled as Felicity zoomed in on the picture. “Just don't instagram that, okay?”

And that was when Felicity squealed. “your shoes are smoking!”

“Oh shit--” Carrie hissed, tapping out the bottoms of her shoes frantically. “You have no idea how often I do that...”

“You must go through so many shoes,” Felicity cringed.

“Only until Cisco makes me some that are friction-proof like my suit,” Carrie laughed and saw she had Felicity's attention. “Wanna see? Its the coolest thing ever!”


	5. Chapter 5

“And this is the Cortex, where my team monitors the police bands for any criminal activity. We can track anything that's happening in the city,” she told her as they entered the Cortex. “Check this out~”

Cisco was on his feet in alarm as Carrie led the other blonde woman into the Cortex. He recognized her of course – one of the visitors Carrie had during her coma.

“Oh wow. This is way different from that hospital room they had you in,” Felicity was impressed by the many gleaming computer monitors. Oooh how she wanted to have a crack at those~

“We even have our own satellite,” Carrie practically vibrated with glee.

“I know, I've hacked into it from time to time,” Felicity giggled as she took in the room.

“Rude!” Cisco objected.

“It is of course nice to see you again, Felicity...” Caitlin looked over at Carrie now. “I'm curious to know just how much of our operation you feel she needs to know about...”

“I'm really good at keeping secrets,” Felicity assured her.

“Yeah, she works with the Arrow,” Carrie vouched for her and then realized what she said. “...oooppppsss....”

“Sweet!” Cisco said in glee.

“You are terrible at keeping secrets,” Felicity groaned.

“I am,” Carrie agreed.

Cisco rounded the console, grinning hugely. “Now its all making sense! You know who the Arrow is...” He eyed Carrie. “Wait...you do know, right?”

“I'm pleading the fifth,” Carrie replied, causing Felicity to giggle beside her.

“My team has a similar set up to this one...just with....”

“Less pointy things?” Carrie supplied. “No Salmon Ladder? Training mat?”

“Exactly.”

“Welcome, Miss Smoak,” came Dr Wells voice from behind them.

Carrie and Felicity whirled in surprise and Felicity's eyes went huge at the sight of the man in the wheelchair. “Dr Wells? The Dr Wells?”

“The one and only,” Carrie giggled.

“Please, call me Harrison, Felicity,” he replied.

Carrie felt something in her gut drop even as she kept up a smile for Felicity, who was gripping her hand tightly. He...never gave her permission to use his given name....maybe he really did view her as just some kid after all...

“You know who I am?” she squeaked beside Carrie.

“Of course,” he said as he wheeled his chair forward, a smile on his lips as he listed her accomplishments. “You ranked second in the National Informative Technology Competition at age nineteen, graduated MIT with Masters Degrees in Cyber-Security and Computer Sciences. Oh yes. I know who you are. I keep an eye out for promising talent in scientific fields, which is what brought me Cisco and Caitlin. And I,” he removed his glasses, smiling at Felicity, “foresaw great things from you.”

“Wow,” Felicity breathed and shook herself out of her stupor when she felt Carrie shifting beside her. “Speaking of great things... Carrie was going to show me something cool...”

\-----

She didn't mind the running; she had to burn off the jealousy in her guts somehow. She tuned out the conversation in the observation area; she...just wanted to run right now.

It...wasn't Felicity's fault - she was awesome and pretty and while she was awkward sometimes she was so cute it didn't matter and...Carrie...wasn't.

Carrie wasn't pretty or sophisticated like Iris or even Felicity. She didn't have their nice bodies, especially not after that lightning bolt hit her. Her boobs lost a cup size, her butt got way too big and...and...she had really liked the body she had before. At least she could find a bra that fit decently enough!

And she had the worst luck when she wore anything other than blue jeans. It would always rain or something bad would happen and well...it was better to live in her blue jeans.

Maybe it would be better to pay more attention to the blind dates Iris was trying to get her to go on...


	6. Chapter 6

Iris was a welcome sight when she and Felicity walked into Jitters; her sister hugged them both with a joyful, “Hey you two!”

“Hey, Iris,” Carrie's own response was lackluster, causing Iris to pull back and eyed her in worry.

“What's wrong? Something happen while you two were sightseeing?”

“Sorta?” Felicity grimaced. “She took me by STAR Labs, to meet Dr Wells and well...”

“What happened?” Iris ushered them over to a private table.

“He...gave me permission to call him Harrison.”

Carrie's head thumped against the table and she sighed glumly as Iris cringed.

“Oh.”

“I've known him these past few weeks and he's never said it was okay to call him Harrison,” she mumbled against the table and could feel gentle petting on each shoulder and knew it was from both of them.

“I'm sorry, I hate that I might have been right...” Felicity arched a brow at Iris over Carrie's head, causing her to elaborate: “Yeah, the girl's got the worst crush on him but we've both figured he's oblivious...”

“I flirted with him earlier,” Carrie announced against the table.

“You did?”

“Really?”

“During one of my tests. I was terrible at it. As expected,” she sighed. “He was polite so he didn't comment. Just smile. Arch a brow. But....”

“...maybe its the age difference? Or the fact you are kinda his patient? Student? Whatever it is you two have going on...” Iris asked.

“I dunno. Maybe. Maybe...” Carrie sighed again and turned her face to peer up at Iris. “...you still have those plans for that double date tonight, don't you?”

“Double date?” Felicity arched a brow at Iris.

“Yeah, I've been trying to get Carrie off her crush. Eddie has a few friends at the department and we've been trying to set up some blind dates before now...”

“...but when they figure its with the weirdo lab kid that's friends with Eddie's girlfriend they generally back out,” Carrie muttered. “Not all of them are as cool as Eddie is about my....quirks.”

“We'll see. There's someone out there for you. And Eddie says he's going to try and drag one of the guys to the Trivia Night we're having at Jitters, no promises,” Iris passed them a brochure for the event that had been left on a nearby table. “It'll be totally fun and up the alley of you two even if he doesn't show. And there's a pretty cool prize!”

“Seventy-five dollars worth of cappuccinos?” Felicity squealed in excitement and Carrie grinned faintly.

“Just...don't drink them all at once. You think I'm bad on a sugar high, you ain't seen nothin' yet...”

Iris laughed as Felicity gave Carrie's shoulder a nudge. “Oi!” Her eyes fell on the clock above them. “Ooops! I should probably go call and check in at work. I'll be right back...”

Felicity scooted out of their corner table and hurried off to make her call.

“I like her,” Iris announced.

“I'm glad. She likes you too. I invited her to join us on the girls' day this weekend if she was available. I think you'd have a blast.”

“Ooh, good plan! Between the two of us, your wardrobe will get that much needed makeover!”

Carrie groaned. The tiny closet in her apartment wasn't going to like that idea! ...maybe she should buy a wardrobe from IKEA....could fit in the corner of her bedroom....


	7. Chapter 7

“So where you off to tonight?” Cisco's voice was tinny over the speaker of her cellphone.

“I'm going to the Trivia Night at Jitters to hang out with Felicity, Iris, Eddie and some friend of Eddie's from work.”

“A friend of Eddie's?” Caitlin echoed and Carrie wondered for a moment if Dr Wells was listening in.

She felt a moment of rebellious and went with it. What did she care if he was there?! Not like he noticed her anyway....

“Yeah,” she kept her voice light and even managed a laugh that didn't sound faked. It wasn't, not really. Maybe this was what she needed. Maybe tonight would be alright? “Iris has been trying to set me up on blind dates with all his friends when they started getting serious. Must be a couple thing.”

“But what if he's secretly a serial killer or something?” Cisco sounded worried.

“Then I will kick him with so much speed between the legs I will rupture his testicles.”

There were two swiftly drawn in breaths at that along side Caitlin's failed attempt to smother a laugh. 

So Dr Wells was there. 

Hmph.

“That's mean,” Cisco squeaked; she wondered if he was crossing his legs instinctively.

“Well you asked what I'd do if he was a serial killer. Since painkillers nor sedatives work on me, I doubt I can be roofied. So I'll play possum and them BAM!” She heard someone, probably Cisco, jump when she smacked her hands together at high speed to produce a resounded slap. “I'll rupture those boys and call Joe!”

“Well,” Dr Wells coughed. “Always good to have a plan, I suppose, Ms Allen.”

“I've been learning, Dr Wells,” she said sweetly, reminding him of his earlier comment over the chessboard. “Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to finish getting ready.”

With that, she ended the call and hurried off for her shower; maybe if she was lucky she'd not have a toilet war with the asshole next door. Jackass always flushed the toilet when she was getting her shower in the morning to make the water turn frigid so she'd get out and he could take his own shower.

One of these days she was going to find out who he was.

And then she might rupture his testicles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case anyone wants to know the layout and size of her apartment: http://fastestpersonalive.tumblr.com/post/119811063435/carries-micro-sized-apartment-in-the-poorer-side


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone wants to know how I picture Hunter Zolomon in CW-verse, just um...google Lee Kholafai. And don't drool on your keyboards! (you are warned)
> 
> I was debating using him for Hal but I kinda like how Sean Faris looks for Hal....
> 
> Ya'll tell me what you think XD

Why was she so nervous when the guy apparently hasn't bothered to show?

“---everyone welcome E=MC Hammer!”

Carrie was snapped back to the present as she and her teammates were announced and shared a rare grin with a group of fellow 'nerds' even managing a high five with one. Maybe tonight would work out, even if Eddie's friend didn't show.

She didn't need a man.

Really!

She had her sister, her best friend, and the love of her sister's life who was steadily becoming a good friend. And on top of that, she had super-speed, healing, all that good stuff!

She grinned over at Eddie and Iris.

“This is the best name! 'Cause you see because E=MC squared is Einstein's formula for kinetic energy and you know---” she did a little boogie on her stool, “'Can't touch this!'”

Eddie and Iris shared a look of fond exasperation as Eddie chuckled, “That's great, Carrie.”

“So where's Felicity?” Iris asked.

“She said she'd be running a little late, her cab was caught up in traffic,” Carrie pouted before brightening. “Hey at least I'm not the one that's late this time!”

“Only barely,” Felicity said cheekily as she slid onto one of the stools.

Carrie wondered if she should have put more thought into her appearance; Felicity looked so pretty with her hair down and her smart black dress.

But if she grew her hair out, it'd stay forever in a bun that she could tuck under her cowl. And it couldn't be a big bun either, or the cowl wouldn't fit as well.

And if this friend of Eddie's wanted to date her, she didn't want her no-jeans curse to hit. Besides, Iris kept reassuring her the jeans fit better now. Maybe she was right because Joe didn't seem to like them so snug...

“I love your dress,” Carrie complimented.

“I was a little worried I might be over dressed...”

“No way!” Iris reassured her.

“That totally has to be a new top – its not your normal sweater or flannel,” Felicity eyed the loose peasant-styled blouse that bared Carrie's shoulders. The red really looked good on her.

“Iris picked it out for me on our last girls' day. Isn't it so pretty? I love the embroidery...” Carrie said while tapping the orange and white flowers on the 'collar' of her top.

And then Felicity spied the name of their group. “E=MC Hammer? I love it!”

“See, I told you it was a great name!” Carrie insisted.

Eddie laughed. “Oh God, you were right, they do act alike!”

“I told you so.” Iris elbowed Eddie. “So where's this mystery man that's supposed to join us?”

“Ehh.. Hunter might not make it. He was having some...issues with his ex over the phone when I left the station.”

“Wait, Hunter...as in Hunter Zolomon?” Carrie cringed and Felicity looked alarmed.

“Is he a jerk?”

“Oh its not that! He's just gone through a pretty messy divorce... I really hope you guys aren't pressuring him to jump back in the dating pool before he's ready,” she looked at Eddie and Iris, vaguely disapproving.

“It takes more than a little arm twisting from Eddie to get me to do something I'm not interested in,” a gravelly voice interjected.

She turned red immediately as Detective Hunter Zolomon grabbed a vacant stool form a nearby table and sat down behind the little sign with their team's name. Much like Eddie, he was still considered a rookie so they seemed naturally inclined to hang out with one another - the new guys against the older detectives like Joe.

He was tall, broad-shouldered, and athletic, and honestly built like a running back, his dark hair kept in a short, professional cut. Much like Eddie, he probably had come from the station and was still wearing a suit, though it looked...fresh. Even the tie was still neat.

Then again he seemed a touch...OCD at times. Not like she wasn't but hey, everyone had their quirks.

“Hunter, I'm sure you remember Carrie Allen, she works in our crime lab...”

Yeah, he probably remembered her. She was terribly memorable. In bad ways. She wondered what that faint quirk of his mouth meant.

“D-detective Zolomon,” she squeaked before she cleared her throat. “Glad you could make it.”

The corner of his mouth quirked up again. “You can call me Hunter, I don't mind....Carrie.”

She was almost as red as her blouse. Well this was....so different....

It was kinda....nice.


	9. Chapter 9

Maybe that curl of Hunter's lip meant amusement. 

She wasn't sure, wasn't really thinking about it as she and Felicity had their heads together working on the solution for the latest Trivia question. Hunter wasn't part of the team, merely a spectator, but he shared glances with Eddie and Iris every now and then.

The round ended with a ding and the announcer crowed: “And the points go to E=MC Hammer!”

“Score!” Carrie and Felicity exchanged a high five as the crowd cheered.

“You two are an awesome team,” Iris laughed.

Eddie looked at Felicity in curiosity. “So, Felicity, what do you do?”

“I work in computer sciences at Queen Consolidated,” she replied.

“Really? So you're basically a White Hat?” Hunter asked in fascination.

“Yup!”

“White Hat?” Iris asked in confusion.

“A hacker on the side of the good guys,” he explained. “Black Hats are well...the bad guys who do stuff like make viruses and hack your bank account. White Hats work to protect you from them.”

“That is so cool!” Iris squealed. 

“It is,” Felicity agreed.

“So, do you have a boyfriend back in Starling?” Iris asked.

“Are you trying to go for a triple date?” Carrie joked; it wasn't something she could see Oliver doing...

“It could be fun!” Iris laughed.

“I was on one once, in college. It wasn't. Trust me,” Hunter snorted into his drink.

“Ahhh....” there was a hesitation in Felicity's voice that caused Carrie to look at her in concern. “No. Not really.”

“Something happen with---?”

“I'll tell you later,” she replied, shaking her head.

“You better,” Carrie muttered.

“So, do we want another round of drinks?” Eddie said, trying to steer the topic away from any unpleasantness. Bless his heart.

“Totally. But, I think I had too many of the first round so I will be right back,” Felicty scooted off her stool and made a bee-line to the ladies room.

“Hnnn. I think I'll go too,” Carrie said and muttered, “And find out if I might need to dispose of a body....”

“You do remember I'm a cop and you're working in the crime lab, right?” Hunter asked dryly.

“Oh shush,” she muttered, distractedly patting him on the forearm. “It'd be justified.”

He watched her walk off and Iris concealed a grin when she noticed his eyes drop to Carrie's rear and the way her hips swayed slightly as she walked. The blue jeans were a good idea, Iris decided smugly, very pleased she managed to talk Carrie out of throwing her old jeans out.

\-------

Carrie groaned when Eddie got the question wrong. “C'mon man, I'm on your side, don't make me look bad!”

“I'm sorry!” Eddie squawked at his girlfriend's sister. “I thought I knew it and got excited and...”

“So, does he do other things early when he gets excited?” Carrie whispered to Iris and Hunter choking on his coffee beside her had her blushing as red as her top. “Eheheheeee....I said that too loud, didn't I?”

Felicity and Iris cackling at her didn't help any. At least Eddie was still embarrassed.

“Well,” she cleared her throat, the blush dying down. “Maybe the other team will get it wrong too?”

"Yeah, I'm fairly certain a team called Pride and Padawans knows the name of Han Solo's ship,” Felicity said dryly.

“Its alright though,” Iris crooned, taking Eddie's face in her hand sand directing his face towards her, “'cause you are all sorts of cute when you're confused.”

Carrie snorted faintly as they kissed and found herself exchanging an amused look with Hunter. 

And yup, there went the blushing again. 

And then, almost in unison Eddie and Hunter's phones began to beep. Eddie checked his and looked up at Carrie. “Someone spotted Snart.”

Hunter was already standing, putting his phone away. “Sorry to cut this short---”

“Go. We know and we understand,” Carrie replied.

“Yeah, with Dad we're kinda used to it,” Iris agreed.

“Be careful,” Felicity called to the two as they left and she caught Carrie's eye.

“If they're called that means I'll probably get a call soon too. Can't have a crime without a crime-scene; my luck, I'm probably going to be stuck going over surveillance footage and dusting for prints,” she sighed, rising to her feet as well. “At least I have plenty of head's up this time – I can go change into something I don't mind getting ruined on the job...”

“Be safe,” Felicity whispered as Carrie pulled on her jacket; the speedster nodded.


	10. Chapter 10

She entered the museum to see Leonard Snart firing some sort of white, glowing beam from a strange looking gun straight at Joe. For her time was a crawl as she moved forward, shoving Joe out of the way and getting grazed by that beam.

It was cold and burning in the same second, knocking her to the ground behind a pillar. 

Seeing he couldn't get a clear shot at either the Streak or the cop, Snart watched, waiting. He was a patient man and he wanted to see what the Streak could do.

Carrie pushed herself up behind that pillar, leaning against it to check on Joe; her knees were weak from the pain shooting up and down from the glowing white wound on her side.

“Oh my God,” Joe was staring at it in shock.

“It burns,” she wheezed.

She could hear the faint whine of that strange weapon charging and she darted away from her pillar as he opened fire on it.

“Time for a test run,” Snart announced with a smirk curling his lips; he was tracking the floor above them with the sights of that gun, “let's just see how fast you really are.”

As he was saying the last word, he found a target and fired.

In a blur of red and crackle of gold, Carrie had swooped in and deprived him of his target. 

Not like that stopped Snart, who targeted a security guard and tour-guide fleeing up a flight of stairs.

As the white beam raced for them, she was a hairsbreadth faster, dragging them to safety.

Another fleeing couple found themselves yanked away at high speeds by the blur and tossed into a hallway.

“Go,” she wheezed to them, a hand pressed to that burning white side. 

How could it be so cold it burns?! She leaned against a wall, gasping for breath; there were spots in her vision it hurtburnedcold---

There was a security guard in plain clothes trying to approach behind Snart while drawing his weapon. As though sensing him, Snart glanced over his shoulder; that smirk on his face grew as he turned to face the guard, leveling his strange cold-burn gun at the man.

No! Nononono---

He was firing and she was speeding forward towards the guard; her vision was spotty, the pain in her side excruciating, but she still made herself run. She had to help him, had to---

The beam was faster, striking the guard in the chest and sending him flying back as she screamed: “NO!”

She was on her knees beside the frozen body, trembling and saying 'no' over and over again as her gloved hands trembled, checking futilely for a pulse, for any sign of life. Faintly she could feel Snart's eyes on her back and in that moment, she didn't care if he fired again.

She had failed and because of that, another innocent person had died. 

Caitlin's words echoed in her head: “For every person you save there will be another you can't.”


	11. Chapter 11

She had retreated to STAR Labs and was laying on her good side, letting Caitlin inspect the blackened burn that was still there. Felicity was holding onto one of her hands, staring at the injury with an expression of worry,

“How does it feel?” Caitlin asked.

“....numb,” she replied faintly. She could sense more than see Dr Wells and Cisco in the background, watching her.

“Its presenting like third-degree frostbite,” Caitlin frowned.

“I thought she had hyper-healing or something?”

“Its been slowed,” the doctor grimaced and looked down at Carrie. “If your cells weren't regenerating at the rate they are, your blood vessels would have frozen solid and the nerve damage would have been permanent. You are very lucky to be alive.”

Very carefully, Carrie pushed herself back up, hissing faintly in pain. “Snart...wasn't another meta-human. Everything he was doing was with that...that gun of his. It froze things, slowed me down enough that I wasn't in time to save someone.”

“According to his record, Snart didn't even finish high-school. So how was he able to build a hand-held hi-tech snow machine?” Felicity asked, glancing over at Dr Wells for an answer.

He didn't look at her, his eyes focused on Carrie. “STAR Labs built the Cold Gun.”

“What?” she croaked in shock, the jacket she had been reaching for slipping out of limp fingers. He-he built---

“Dr Wells and Caitlin had nothing to do with it,” Cisco interjected, wincing at the raw betrayal on Carrie's face as she stared at Dr Wells. “I built the gun.”

Carries eyes tore from Dr Wells's to meet Cisco's and now he was on the receiving end of that wounded, betrayed look. “....you....?”

“Why?!”

“Because speed and cold are opposites. Temperature is measured by how quickly the atoms of something is oscillating; the faster it is, the hotter it is and when cold they are slower on the atomic level. When there is no movement at all, its called---”

“--absolute zero,” she interrupted. She knew this already. 

“Yeah. I designed a compact cryo-engine to achieve absolute zero.” He took a breath. “I built it to stop you. I didn't know who you were then, Carrie. I mean...what if you turned out to be some psycho like Mardon or Nimbus.”

“But I didn't. Did I?” She wanted to run, despite the agony every movement sent up from her side. To cry, because the physical pain was less than the emotional pain she was feeling right now.

Oh God....of course, things were going too good...

“We built the entire structure you are standing in to do good,” Caitlin interjected. “And it blew up. In the wake of that, you can understand why Cisco wanted to be prepared for the worst.”

“I can,” she replied hoarsely. “But what I can't? Is why you didn't tell me. After all we've been through? I thought....you trusted me, like I trusted you. I thought....I thought we were friends.”

“We are, Carrie,” Cisco said, taking a step forward.

“You didn't tell me about this weapon – you could have told me, prepared me for eventually facing it.” She said hollowly. “And now a man is dead.”

Cisco took a shuddering breath, “And I have to live with that.”

“No, Cisco,” she shook her head. “We all do.”

Carrie turned, walking out of the Cortex.


	12. Chapter 12

She almost didn't hear the knock on her door hours later – her bathroom was nice and quiet like that. The music playing off her cellphone, resting in a charging cradle on the back of the toilet helped make it a sanctuary. And then the music was interrupted, dinging to alert her to a new text message. 

Sitting, up, she saw it was a text from Felicity....who was apparently outside.

The water sloshed as she hurried out of the bath, pulling a towel around herself and rushing to her front door despite the twinge in her side. Opening the door, she ushered Felicity in and locked the door behind her.

“Felicity? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at your hotel? Its getting late...you should be sleeping.”

“I came to check on you. Didn't mean to disturb your shower...”

“I was soaking, trying to get warm again.” she said with a humorless smile; the biggest pot in her apartment was still on her stove – she had cheated, heating several pots of water and adding them to her bathwater, just in case the spiteful jackass next door heard her filling the tub and flushed his toilet.

“You should get some sleep when you get warm again.”

“...I can't. Every time I close my eyes, I see that man's face,” Carrie whispered brokenly as she sat down at her kitchen table. “I watched him die and there was nothing I could do...” She ran a hand over her wet hair, slicking it back. “I...need to go faster. I planned to go running after the frostbite faded a little more.”

“His death is not your fault,” Felicity argued. “And...its not Cisco's either. I know you are upset, but you have to look at this from his point of view.”

“No, I get it – he didn't trust me.” 

And that stung. 

She could understand the beginning, back when they were strangers but later...to never mention it...

“Carrie...” Felicity sat in the chair beside hers. “Back when you met us...me Oliver, and Dig... we were a well-oiled archery machine, but it didn't start out that way. And unlike you guys, we weren't tossed together overnight – we gradually came together one at a time. Believe me, it took more than watching Oliver do the Salmon Ladder to get me to trust him.”

“But I bet it helped, huh?” Carrie teased weakly.

Felicity snorted. “Oh it helped.” She reached forward, brushing a stray wet lock of hair back from the speedster's face. “I've see what this life can do to people. It's a lonely path – don't make it any lonelier than it has to be.”

….she was telling Iris then. 

Joe be damned.


	13. Chapter 13

She had returned to STAR Labs and sat curled in one of the chairs staring at the monitor, almost hoping the police scanner would go off...

Cisco entered the Cortex, peering intently at his tablet. “I think I've figured out how to track Captain Cold!”

Caitlin groaned from where she sat beside Dr Wells at the row of computers, “You have got to stop naming these guys.”

She didn't move, her eyes unseeing on the monitor.

“Carrie,” Dr Well's voice cut through and she shifted faintly in the chair; her side twinged only slightly now. “Listen to him.”

“I am,” she replied softly before turning enough in her chair to cause it to spin a bit and face Cisco. Her eyes, normally so soft and blue were blank as they regarded him. “What do you have?”

“The cold gun is powered by an engine control unit, a micro-computer that regulates air to fuel ratios, so that the sub-cool fluid in the chambers don't overflow and---”

“---explode,” Felicity finished.

“Exactly!” Cisco whirled to point at Felicity; he moved forward, walking around the console as Dr Wells sipped out of his silver travel mug. “This ECU was receiving updates wirelessly from my tablet. If I can boost the signal using Central City's network and send a false update, we'll get a ping back and---”

“---we can locate Snart,” Dr Wells said, looking from Cisco to where Carrie sat.

She blinked. “How long will it take?”

“Well, first I have to hack into the city's network, so I don't know...thirty minutes maybe?”

“I can do it in less than one,” Felicity singsonged and Carrie felt her lips curl in amusement despite herself as the hacker sat at her computer, sending the speedster a wink. “Because when it comes to hacking, I'm the fastest woman alive.”

Felicity cracked her hands like a pianist and hissed when they cracked audibly, before shaking her hands in pain. “That was not as badass as I pictured...” She was typing, her fingers a blur over her laptop's keyboard before announcing in glee: “I'm in!”

“Are you kidding?” Caitlin asked in shock.

“Alright!” Cisco cheered from his workstation. “I'm sending the updates.” there was a beat and then: “We're connected!”

“The network is triangulating now,” Felicity reported.

Caitlin nodded as he computer beeped. “We got him! Hes going west on Nelson to the train station.”

Dr Wells peered at Caitlin's monitor. “If he's leaving then it appears Mr Snart has got what he came for.”

There was a blur, the chair Carrie was in suddenly spinning so fast it topped over. They looked up to see Carrie standing in her suit.

Cisco grinned hugely and tapped his temple. “When we put our minds to something...nothing can stop us.”

Carrie reached up, switching off the earpiece and Cisco swallowed. “Umm...how are we going to talk to each other?”

“...I don't really feel much like talking right now,” she said softly before disappearing in a streak of gold lightning.

The silence was welcome; so was the running. She zipped by where Joe and Eddie stood, relief momentarily overwhelming her numbness – they were safe.

Good.

She entered the train through one of the side doors an explosion of glass, coming to a halt in a kneeling crouch feet away Snart. He aimed the gun at her head.

His breath caught when the coweled head lifted and even through the goggles he could see the eyes were blue. So blue. Soft and blank all at once.

“There is no where to run,” 'the Streak' said softly.

Those eyes. So soft, so thickly lashed, rounded and almost doe-like... That mouth so full and lush...and that voice....

“I knew it,” he breathed. “I didn't get a good look before, little girl. Your mother know you're out past bedtime running around in red leather?”

She rose slowly, her eyes locked with his through his goggles. “If you wanted to get away, you should have taken something faster than a train, Mr Snart.”

“That's if I wanted to get away.”

Her head tilted in confusion and he continued.

“I've seen your weakness. At the armored car. And then at the theater.”

Her face was smooth but her hand curled into nervous fists. His smirk grew wider as she scanned the train, checking on each of the passengers who were staring back at the two of them with wide, concerned eyes,

“See, while you're busy saving everybody...” abruptly he lowered the gun; it whined, charging, “I'll be saving myself.”

He fired into the floor between them, the ice from the brilliant white beam freezing through the thin metal floor and the gears below. The wheels screamed as hot, oiled metal suddenly reached absolute zero. The train was coming to a violent halt, causing the passengers to scream as they braced themselves; Snart was at one of the side doors, forcing it open.

He glanced between the passengers and then at her with a nasty grin. “Good luck with that!”

And then he was out the door.

The train car was ripped from the engine before it and it began to tumble over, flipping upside down. The cars attached to it were buckling, twisting as well as the train violently derailed.

For Carrie, everything was still – there were people and their belongings mid-air. Golden lightning flickered across her eyes and the speed arced through her veins as she moved forward.

For those outside, there was golden lightning sparking inside the first car of the derailing train as passengers were being removed, practically tossed onto the sides of the tracks out of harms way. The lightning flowed through the remaining cars, snatching passengers mid-air as they were being thrown about.

And then the train derailed completely, still moving forward on its own momentum in a screaming pile of metal as Carrie landed on the grassy embankment far from the passengers. The wind was knocked out of her as she tumbled down until coming to a halt. She groaned as she began to push herself up, feeling lightheaded from the expenditure of energy. How many calories did she just burn up doing that...?

And then there was that infernal whine as she was almost to her feet. And then there was socolditburnsburnsburns striking her in the back, sending her back to the ground with a scream of pain.

She rolled over as Cold approached until he was standing over her. “That was pretty damn fast, little girl.” He looked down at her, the slim form writhing in pain from the cold of his gun. “But not really fast enough.”

There was a wheeze of pain as she stared up at him and he tilted his head as he regarded her. “Thank you.”

“For...what?!”

“You forced me to up my game. Not only with this gun but also with how I think about the job. It's been educational.”

And then there was a whine, similar to Snart's gun behind him.

“Drop it.” Cisco hissed.

Snart turned in surprise to regard Cisco, who was wielding...a contraption Carrie had never seen before, its body being held by Caitlin and Felicty. Panic surged through her; what were these three idiots doing?! Immediately she tried to sit up despite the agony it caused. She had to protect them---

“This is a prototype of the Cold Gun,” Cisco announced. “Its four times the size, but also four times the power.”

Snart glanced back to where Carrie was trying to push herself back to her feet. “...I was wondering who you were talking to.”

“You stay away from them---” she hissed, wobbling weakly.

“Hey.” Cisco's voice was firm, his face in a fierce snarl. “Unless you want a taste of your own medicine, I'd back the hell up.”

“Your hands are shaking. You've never killed anyone.” Snart drawled.

“There's a first time for everything, Captain Cold.”

Snart tilted his head back, an amused grin stretching across his face.

“I will shoot you.” Cisco warned again, even as Snart's eyes locked with Carrie's.

“You win, kid.” He lifted the Cold Gun and grinned. “I'll see you around, little girl.”

Cisco tracked him with his weapon as Snart walked away. “Hey Leave the diamond.”

“Don't push your luck,” Snart said, not even looking over his shoulder.

When he was out of sight, Felicity and Caitlin practically dropped the body of the prototype. Cisco grinned weakly at Carrie. “I couldn't shoot him even if I wanted to. This is actually the STAR Labs vacuum cleaner.”

She groaned at him, allowing herself to fall weakly back to the ground.

“With a lot of LEDs!”

Felicity was by her side, wincing at the fresh damage done to the speedster's body. “Oh God...we need to get you warm...”

“I think I'm going to sleep in my bathtub tonight,” Carrie groaned.

Cisco crouched down by her, eyeing the damage in concern. She weakly reached out, snagging his sleeve.

“Thank you. That...was one hell of a bluff.”

\---

Back at STAR Labs, Cisco was frowning at his monitor. “We've been trying to track Snart but...he must have disabled the signal some how...”

“We'll find him, Cisco,” Carrie murmured. “Together.”

“You have a great team here, Carrie,” Felicity said as Cisco walked away. “Speaking of teams, I should probably get back to mine.”

“Can't leave them unattended for long, who knows what kind of trouble they'll get into without proper supervision,” Carrie agreed.

“It was nice meeting you, Ms Smoak,” Dr Wells said. “Please extend a 'Hello' to the Arrow for us.”

“I will.”

“Be safe on your trip home. I'll text you when Iris wants to do her girls' day.”

“You do that. I've been dying to use you for a dress up doll,” Felicity chortled as they hugged goodbye.

Carrie was sad to see her go, but...she was happy to know how well her best-friend and sister had gotten along.

“A remarkable young woman,” Dr Wells murmured. “She's special.”

She smiled. “Yeah. I'm lucky to have a friend like her.”

\---

It was funny how Felicity jumped and yelped when Carrie suddenly seemed to appear across from her on the train. The hacker was hugging her tablet to her chest, giving the speedster a wide-eyed look as she laughed.

“...I yelped, didn't I?”

“Yes,” she giggled. “I didn't mean to scare you.”

“Don't tell me you're here to save me?” Felicity asked, semi-paranoid as she looked around for Snart.

“Despite the recent events, taking the train is still one of the safest ways to travel,” Carrie reassured her.

“I thought that was airplanes?” she retorted with a grin.

Carrie shrugged, smiling still. “...now...are you going to tell me what's going on with you and Oliver?”

“It is what it is,” she replied. “And you are not needing to dispose of his body, so shush.”

“You know if you ever need anything I will race over to you in a heartbeat.”

“Same. Well...as fast as I can, anyway,” Felicity said with a grin. “Which could take me a while, but I'll still come.”

“And if you change your mind about needing Oliver beaten up--”

“I'll call,” she chortled.

“...Bye Felicity,” She smiled faintly and was suddenly gone.


End file.
